Mumbai, India: HDFC Bank, under its CSR initiative Parivartan, inaugurated Accessible STEM Science Centres in Mumbai and Pune as part of the ‘STEM Without Barriers’ programme. This initiative, aimed at fostering inclusive education, establishes mini science labs in special schools for children who are deaf and hard of hearing. The initiative has been implemented across 35 special schools in India, with 10 of these located in Maharashtra.
Through this project, 885 students from Classes 5 to 10 in Pune and Mumbai will gain access to specially curated STEM content translated into Indian Sign Language, enabling them to explore and understand scientific concepts in an accessible, engaging format. The project also includes teacher training, ongoing mentoring, and the further development of accessible content.
Inauguration ceremonies were held at Aadhar Mookbadhir Vidyalaya in Pune and Bombay Institution for Deaf & Mutes in Mumbai. These events marked the formal handover of fully equipped STEM labs to the schools, supporting a broader vision of inclusive, technology-enabled education.
Funded by HDFC Bank for a period of three years, this industry-first initiative represents a collaborative approach to fostering innovation, accessibility, and modern education in special schools. The project builds on a successful pilot in Karnataka and will continue until March 2027, with similar inauguration events planned across all participating schools.
Speaking about the initiative, Kaizad Bharucha, DMD, HDFC Bank, said, “We believe that access to education should be equitable and inclusive. Through this initiative, we aim to co-create learning environments that are sensitive to the needs of all children, including those with hearing challenges. It is our privilege to partner with schools and educators who are doing inspiring work in this space, and we remain committed to supporting their efforts.”
The project was first piloted successfully in Karnataka, covering 13 schools, and has now expanded across five states.
The inauguration events were attended by senior representatives from HDFC Bank including Mr Santosh Ingale, Ms Smeeta Jaybhaye, and Mr Pankaj Seth, alongside key partners from the implementation agency–Mr Narendra Pandey (CSR Manager), Mr Gururaghavendra (Education Head), and Mr Lokesh (Project Manager).
This initiative is a part of a broader strategy under HDFC Bank Parivartan’s Promotion of Education pillar. It reaffirms HDFC Bank Parivartan’s mission to support inclusive growth and create long-term impact by enabling communities and helping them to become self-reliant.
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